Tears and Rain
by violets92
Summary: For a moment he thought she might do something drastic, but his head quickly reminded him that she was Catholic. She didn’t believe in, or condone suicide. TATE


Dedicated to my Tate girls. Especially Jen. Her story inspired me to do an angsty piece. I hope you like.

The case that day had been particularly rough. One of the most sickening they'd come across. A sixteen year old girl, tortured, raped and brutally murdered. Kate hadn't been able to take it. She'd taken off to some place nearby and hadn't come back until McGee called her and told her that they were done. The whole day she had refused to go down to Autopsy. The only place she had been other than her desk was down to the lab. Even then, she hadn't talked to Abby. Or anyone for that matter. Tony didn't even have the heart to throw a paperclip at her. He took a look at her empty desk and sighed. He'd wait a couple more minutes before search for her. If she wanted to be alone, that was fine. He just didn't want her to do anything stupid.

After twenty minutes of searching the whole building, Tony found his partner on the rooftop. She stood at the edge, leaning on the dull, concrete wall. As he walked a bit closer he realised that she was crying and…what was that? Praying? He should have guessed, Kate Todd was a catholic after all. Hell, even non-religious people would pray for that little girl lying down in Autopsy. A couple of minutes went by and Kate finally said "Amen". She didn't turn around though. She probably sensed him standing there. Her pride would never let him see her cry.

So she just stood there, hair blowing in the harsh, cold wind, tears drying up only to fall again in rivers down her cheeks. A picture of beautiful heartbreak. For a moment Tony thought she might do something drastic, but his head quickly reminded him that she was Catholic. She didn't believe in, or condone suicide. She wrapped her coat tighter around her body and sighed shakily, looking out over the dull city of Washington D.C. that matched her mood. Not unexpectedly, Tony felt a drop of water on his face. He almost had to laugh at the irony. Kate didn't flinch. Though the rain was slowly starting to pour, she never moved once. She only stood there, looking the same as before, only wet and assumedly cold. Tony took quite a few steps forward and put a hand on her shoulder.

She didn't move.

She was frozen. Literally and figuratively. He could feel the cold through her coat, but Kate didn't seem to care. About anything. Tony couldn't tell whether the water droplets on her face were tears or rain. His heart broke for the tenth time that day. With every death, someone died a little. And with every tear Kate let out, she died a little more. If she kept going on like this, one day there would be nothing left but an empty shell.

There are times where agents think they've been in their profession too long. They start to feel traumatized and need to see some sort of shrink. Those ones are wrong. It only means they're human. They've only been doing it too long when they become numb. When they become unable to feel a thing. No remorse or sadness. When they think heartbreak feels the same as happiness. Kate was only human. She hadn't become an empty shell yet. With hope, she never would.

"Kate?" He spoke softly so as not to scare her. He doubted she'd feel the fright at the moment anyway. She turned to him slowly. His heart gave a giant lurch. She looked worse than he'd thought. Mascara was running down her cheeks and her eyes were bloodshot. She looked defeated. She'd given up.

"I need to get out." Her reply was spoken in a soft, broken whisper.

"Oh Kate."

He pulled her against him and at first she didn't move a muscle but slowly he felt her fragile arms wrap around him. Her body shook with silent sobs. She cried until it almost seemed as if there was nothing left. The only thing Tony could do was whisper words of comfort in her ear. Even as the sobs lessened, she hung onto him as if he was the only thing she had left. The only string of hope remaining. They stood like that for hours. Neither willing to move from the embrace. They were soaked, cold and emotionally drained but she had him, and he had her. For a moment, that was all that mattered.


End file.
